1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to virtual environments such as used in computer gaming, and in particular for games that simulate an actual 3-D environment and allow for simultaneous participation of multiple players.
2. Description of Related Art
Various simulation games are known in which a 3-D physical world (actual or fantasy) is simulated. Games of this type are sometimes referred to as “virtual reality” or “virtual reality universe” (VRU) games. In known VRU games, an actual or fantasy universe is simulated within a computer memory. Multiple players may participate in a in the game through a computer network, such as a local area network or a wide area network. Each player selects an “avatar,” often a three-dimensional figure of a man, woman, or other being, to represent them in the VRU environment. As used herein, “avatar” means an image representing a user in a multi-user virtual reality (VR) space, or VR-like space. Players send inputs to a VRU engine to move their avatars around the VRU environment, and are able to cause interaction between their avatars and objects in the VRU. For example, a player's avatar may interact with an automated entity or person, simulated static objects, or avatars operated by other players.
The VRU may take the form of at least one area or environment which is a virtual-reality three-dimensional map existing in a computer memory, consisting of elements that may include but are not limited to representations of rooms, outdoor areas, exotic environments, objects, people, animals, robots, avatars, robot avatars, time elements, additional spatial elements, and activities. Users establish a presence in the VRU by creating or using an avatar, which is a three-dimensional representative of the user in the VRU, and which can be navigated by the user around various environments in the VRU. A view or views of the VRU are displayed to the user using a client computer display and user interface software as known in the art. Each user provides input to a computer controlling the VRU using an input device connected to a local node or client, which is in turn connected to the networked computer system. The VRU is shared by all players and participants, using elements from the common memory.
Essentially, the computer system generates 3-D, real-time, transient animation of avatars and other objects that includes responses to user inputs, such as move right, left, etc. For example, avatars may be limited to simply observing the environment or area. But usually, avatars can interact with some or all of: other avatars, objects, the environment (e.g., walls, floors, roads, lakes, etc.), and automated or robotic avatars within at least one environment. Interactions by one avatar with any other avatar, object, the environment or automated or robotic avatars may, in some cases, but need not, result in outcomes that may effect or otherwise be observed or experienced by other avatars, objects, the environment, and automated or robotic avatars within the at least one environment of the VRU.
Current VRU's limit the ways in which avatars controlled by different remote players can interact with one another. Each avatar is independently animated by remote operators, and interaction is limited to a sequence of “act-wait-react.” After one avatar in an interactive scene acts, such as by speaking or moving, interaction requires processing a response from the other avatar in the scene. Because of lag times introduced by computer systems, and operator reaction time for processing computer input and providing output to a computer interface, interactions via remote avatars proceed more slowly than interactions between natural persons in the same physical space. In addition, current VRU environments are not capable of simulating all sensory inputs that occur in a real environment, and thus, subtle sensory cues that may help guide natural human interactions absent. The lack of some sensory cues, in addition to timing lag, hinders realistic interactions via avatars and may even render practicably impossible many types of complex physical interactions that are readily performed in person.
For example, relatively simple actions such as gestures or unilateral touching may be easily simulated in current VRU environments, but avatars are not able to engage in activities that require coordinated movement in ways that simulate human behavior. For example, it would be very difficult if not impossible for avatars controlled by independent participants to engage in highly coordinated activities such as ballroom dance or team sports. Even a relatively simple coordinated gesture, such as a simulated handshake, requires coordinated movement. The limitations of current VRU spaces and user interfaces make such activities cumbersome and laughable, at best. Nevertheless, many users may desire to observe their chosen avatar engaging in coordinated motion with other avatars. For example, the player who has chosen the Princess avatar may wish to see the Princess waltz with the Prince Charming avatar, or the player who has chosen the star quarterback may wish to execute football plays with his favorite running backs. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a VRU space that operates to permit coordinated motion of independently-controlled avatars.